Show-case



(No Model.)

D. FORBES & E. T. BENNETT.

SHOW CASE.

Patented Feb. 18, 1896.

ANDREW BEGRANAHPNGTOWQWASIIINGWERC.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DAVIDEORBES AND ELMER T. BENNETT, OF GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN.

SHOW-CAS E.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 554,864, dated February 18, 1896.

Application filed July 22, 1895. Serial No. 556,733, (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, DAVID FORBES and ELMER T. BENNETT, citizens of the United States,residing at Grand Rapids,in the county of Kent and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Show-Cases; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

Our invention relates to improvements in show-cases, and its object is to provide the same with certain new and useful features hereinafter more fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which I Figure 1 is a section of a device embodying our invention on the line 1 1 of Fig. 3. Fig. 2 is a section of the same on the lines 2 2 of Figs. 1 and 3, and Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1 with parts broken away to show construction.

Like letters refer to like parts in all of the figures.

A is an ordinary rectangular show-case having a bottom A, a top A, and cornerposts B, which posts extend below said bottom, engaging the guides D in the base 0 and preventing said case from tipping when in an elevated position, as shown in Fig. 1. Said case A is adapted to move vertically in said guides, and when down the projecting edge of said top A engages the molding O, which is secured to the top of said base, and prevents any rain, &c., from entering the same. E is a shaft supported on bearings E secured to the bottom of the base 0, and F is a sprocket-wheel secured to said shaft and engaged by the sprocket-chain Gr, said chain engaging the sprocket-wheel H on the crankshaft I, which shaft is mounted in a bearing secured to the side of the said base and extends through the same. Secured to said shaft E is a ratchet-wheel J, and a weighted pawl K is secured to the bottom of said base and adapted to engage said wheel, thus allowing said shaft E to turn in one direction only when said pawl is in engagement with said ratchet.

At each side of the case A and outside the line of the guides D are secured, on the said shaft E,the drums L, to which are attached the ends of the ropes M, which ropes pass upward over the pulleys N j ournaled on bearings secured in the upper part of the base 0, one near each corner, and thence downward and are attached to the braces O, which braces engage the lower ends of the posts B and bottom A of the case A. Four ropes are used,

' one at each corner of said case, thus preventing any binding of the same on said guides, two of said ropes being wound on each of said drums. To elevate the case A, a crank is applied to the outer end of the crank-shaft I and said shaft rotated, which causes the shaft E, by means of the sprocket-wheels and chain, to rotate, thus winding the ropes M around the drums L, the pawl and ratchet preventing said shaft from revolving in the opposite direction, and holding said case in an elevated position until such time as desirable to again lower the same, when said pawl is released and held out of engagement with said ratchet. By this arrangement of parts we secure a show-case which is particularly adapted for outdoor displays, as the necessity of moving the same both night and morning is obviated, said case being perfectly protected and secure from breaking and pilfering when lowered into its base, said base remaining as a sign.

Having thus fully described our invention, what we claim is An outdoor show-case, consisting of a display-case having posts extending below the same, a base to support and receive the same, guides in said base to engage said posts, a shaft in said base, drums on each end of said shaft, pulleys in said base, ropes secured to each of said posts and drums, and engaging said pulleys, a sprocket-wheel on said shaft, a crank-shaft, a sprocket-wheel on said crank-shaft, a sprocket chain engaging said sprocket-wheels, a ratchet-wheel, and a pawl engaging said ratchet, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

DAVID FORBES. ELMER T. BENNETT. Witnesses:

Lnwrs E. FLANDERS, SARAH A. MoUL'roN. 

